New Study Shows What Makes Buyers Skittish About EVs Today

The shift to electric cars is well underway across the industry. However, while automakers are by and large onboard with the transition, the fact remains they still face a daunting challenge convincing large portions of the population to join them.

Yes, electric-vehicle sales are growing across North America, but in most regions not called California, British Columbia or Quebec, they remain marginal. And, of course, the current supply-chain crises that are making it more difficult to obtain an EV are not helping. The shortages will be temporary, but will buyers’ concerns be as well? If large numbers of potential buyers resist taking the plunge, the transition to electric will be a more drawn-out affair. Vice versa is also true.

We’ve been treated to a number of surveys in recent years that try to get a handle on what motivates or holds back buyers. The latest one comes from the Autolist group, and while it does reveal some new trends, many of the concerns are nothing new.  It should be noted that the survey was conducted between May 11 and 18 of this year and that 1,355 respondents, the majority of them American, participated via the group's website.

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The first notable finding: anxiety related to range is no longer the main fear among would-be buyers in North America. This is good news for some, but any optimism should be qualified. It’s still the second-biggest concern, behind... questions of price. Indeed, 48 percent of respondents find new EVs too expensive, while 44 percent still cite range as a top concern. The third most common concern, identified by 36 percent of respondents, was infrastructure (charging networks, etc.).

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